One Final Time
by UneSeuleRose
Summary: This story is set just before Sanctuary for None part 1 and 2. Helen mentally prepares for the upcoming events. She is drained after 113 years of planning and avoiding to interfere with the timeline. She has one final task before setting her plan in action. That task involves Nikola Tesla.
1. Chapter 1

Helen looked out of the window from her office, eyes lost in the mist the damp night had brought upon the city. Her hands lay on the window sill, fiddling with one another as she anticipated her next move in her elaborate plan to save the sanctuary from the corrupted and politically driven world the twenty-first century now lay in. It wasn't all bad, but she knew her sanctuary was no longer safe and was considered a threat in the fear filled eyes of new world leaders, so eager yet much too young to reason beyond the narcissistic ways of humans.

Although her plan had been in the making for over a hundred years, it was very risky. She thought about every possible scenario and how she would respond to each and every one of them to assure the same outcome every time. The only thing she couldn't be sure of was the sacrifices she would have to make, the lives that would be lost, and the minds that would be damaged.

As she kept on pondering, she silently scowled herself for being so melodramatic. She couldn't start to worry now. She had to focus on her plan.

By now she was sitting down, shivering as a cold breeze slipped through a crack in the window. She shut it more tightly, and turned back to look at her office. It was serene, she decided. A warm fire rumbled in the fireplace, allowing her keepsakes, scattered across her office, to glow in a seemingly peculiar manner. As she observed them, Helen allowed herself to drift off in every memory each item held. Each one represented a turning point in her past, moments which had helped her move forward into the future. Her eyes fell on a particular broach that lay on the mantle of the fireplace, its small size making it barely visible in contrast with the robust frame of the fireplace. The broach was that of a beautiful crimson rose. It was elegant, yet simple. Slowly, she made her way to where it lay, pick it up and ran her fingers over it, removing the dust that resided on the particularly small object.

_Helen rushed out of her room, tears staining her cheeks. John's violent and manipulative behaviour had startled her to say the least, even though she should not have been surprised, having faced this creature that inhabited John on a few previous occasions. The cold steal against her throat, his menacing and fear provoking voice invading her senses and the unrecognisable being that lay behind his eyes was just too much for her to handle. Normally, she would hide out in some unknown corner of the sanctuary, willing herself to calm down. She couldn't give up on helping John defeat this entity, not when she was partly responsible. If it wasn't for her overpowering curiosity and intrigue that wished to overcome de boundaries of current science, things would have turned out the way they should. _

_Helen, without thinking, stepped out of the sanctuary and dashed for a place where she hoped she could reconnect with her sanity. Tears kept spilling over her red cheeks, burning with anger and embarrassment. Her fists, clammy and tight held on to her dress as she scurried through abandoned streets until she finally made it to a remote garden, where striking trees and tall rounded bushes faded into the silhouette of the night. Helen slowed down, her breathing finally slowing down to a normal pace. She could hear the water flowing gently through the nearby stream. She loved it here, although it was not a habit of hers to be there at night. It was not scary or even glum. She found that the shadows contouring the somewhat overgrown plants, mixed in with the fog that soaked up the moonlight, flowing between the ground and the top of the trees, gave the area a certain charm. She sat down on a nearby bench, enjoying the tranquility when a soft whistle was picked up by her ears. Instantly, she knew he had followed her. He always did. _

"_Nikola?"_

_The tall, slim man approached her calmly, his silhouette being the only visible sing of him. Only when he was standing a few feet away from her, did she notice his gentle yet always incorrigible smile._

"_My, my Helen. Isn't it a little late to be wondering about?" Nikola took a seat beside her, eyeing her carefully, assessing the new damage caused by John. He had come to see her when he was told by the maids that she had left in haste. _

"_Hello, Nikola," Helen croaked out. She knew he knew. No other words were needed. Helen laid her head on her beloved friend's shoulder. _

_Nikola allowed himself to envelope her frame, an action that, although had been difficult after his change due to certain urges that were not related to the ones he already had towards his Helen, had now become very comfortable. _

"_I would say I told you so, but that wouldn't change much," Nikola said. _

_Helen raised her head, eyeing him questioningly. "What do you mean? You didn't predict that John would react this way to the source blood."_

_Nikola smiled smugly. "Oh of course not, but I wasn't talking about that. I just meant that I told you I was a better choice. I am, of course, much more handsome, outgoing and to be honest, amazingly brilliant! To be frank, I don't know how you could deny such a desirable man."_

_Helen slapped him on the arm, outraged by his boldness. "Nikola Tesla, you are being very unfair and unforgivingly smug!"_

_Nikola laughed, and put his arms up in surrender. "Alright, I guess I should stop pointing out the obvious," he said flashing her one of his megawatt smiles. Helen mirrored his smile, lost in his comforting eyes. All of a sudden, she noticed Nikola's smile fade, and a serious tone overpowered the features of his face. _

_Nikola let his hand cup her still damp cheek as he pressed his forehead to hers. _

"_My dear, friend," whispered Helen. Nikola's smiled returned, if only for a second. He closed his eyes and started humming an old Serbian lullaby. She had first heard it when she caught him feeding pigeons on a particularly quiet autumn afternoon at Oxford. They didn't know each other very well at the time, but she remembered being completely charmed by his quirky smile and reddened cheeks after he had been caught. Either way, the melody was soothing. Suddenly, she realised that she hadn't heard the lullaby since their experiment with the source blood. They all seemed to lose a small part of themselves after that event, overtaken by the empowering side effects of the substance. She was suddenly comforted to know that the gently foreigner, albeit also very mischievous foreigner, she had met a couple of years ago still lay somewhere in this new version of Nikola. _

_When Nikola's low humming ceased, he looked up at her and winked. "You're safe with me," he whispered. Helen was startled by his tone. It was loving, yet a hint of worry added an edge of bitterness to it. Helen inhaled his sent, and pressed her cheek against his. Her arms snaked around his waist as she treasured the moment. She loved him, and she knew it. Had she not been so charmed by John…no she didn't want to go there. Things play out the way they should. Helen gently pulled away, but only so that they could face each other. She suddenly mesmerized by him. Her breath hitched and by the sounds of it, so did his. She wanted to kiss him, press her lips against his in such a gentle way that it would smooth over any worries she had brought upon him. His face started moving towards her, but stopped centimeters away from her lips. His eyes shifted from her lips to her eyes. That subtle movement was enough to stop Helen from continuing on with her plan. They couldn't. Not now, not yet._

_To break the spell, Helen pulled her face away from his, and placed her hand on his cheek. With a light tone, she replied, "Are you saying that I would be safer with a vampire then with John?"_

_Nikola, while recovering, still managed to give her a perfectly logical reply. "Maybe not, but vampires are so much more attractive in a menacing kind of way."_

_Helen laughed, rolled her eyes and stood up. "Thanks Nikola, I think I'll be on my way it's very late." _

"_Of course." Nikola took her hand, and pressed his lips against her knuckles. "Oh, wait! I just remembered," said Nikola, reaching in his coat pocket. _

_Helen smiled, wondering what he was up too. "My, my Nikola! It's a little late for a proposal, don't you think?"_

_Helen had meant it to be a light hearted joke, but when his eyes snapped to hers with remorse, her body stiffened. Nikola quickly recovered and smiled. _

"_I know that Helen."_

_Helen, too tired to think about his reply, sent him a small wink. He returned it, finally revealing that small object in his hand. "This is for you, ljubav," He managed to say with a thick Serbian accent. Helen blushed and took the broach from his hand._

"_It's lovely, Nikola!"_

"_I'm glad you like it. Here," Nikola said, tracing the petals of the rose. "The petals represent the beauty and charm that is Helen Magnus!"_

_Helen rolled her eyes, but kept on humoring him. "Ah, I see."_

"_Actually, as true as that is, I also think the petals represent every ounce of effort you've given and will give to your work, piecing every delicate piece together to create something very elegant," Nikola whispered in a more serious tone. Helen smiled, taken aback by his honest complement. "I suppose the stem would then represent your ever-growing journey, you know, with the longevity thing."_

_Helen laughed, enjoying the comparisons. "And what about the thorns?"_

_Nikola smirked. "That's the obvious part!"_

_Helen's confused eyes met his._

"_The thorns mean that I will always be that thorn in your side!"_

And that he was! Helen laughed, placing the broach back on the mantle. She turned to the window again, overcome by a bittersweet feeling. She was blessed to have so many people who loved her. Could she really ask them to risk everything? She hoped that if anything happened, they all knew how much she loved them. The heavy weight on her shoulders was becoming a lot to bear. Although her 113 years had prepared her as much as possible for the upcoming events, it was a struggle to keep up the act. It drained her, in fact. Helen felt her cheeks moisten. A couple of more days, and it would all be over. No matter how it ended, it would be over. Helen shivered again. Damn! She decided to curl up on the couch. However, as she turned around, her eyes met those of Nikola.

She shivered, and tried to take a deep breath.

**Good? No good? Please review!**


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Helen stood there a little awkwardly, her hands fumbling with each other. Her eyes fell to the floor and she took a deep breath. When they finally met Nikola's eyes again, his lips were curled up in a soft smile, a hand resting on his hips, the other extended towards Helen. Helen's hand instinctively found his and he pulled her towards the couch. Once they sat down, almost face to face, Helen's hand found its way back to her lap. Nikola's eyes grazed over her entire form quickly and he sighed.

"You look tiered Helen. Penny for your thoughts?"

Helen smiled, and replied, "There are scattered all over the place, I'm afraid."

"Yes, I'm aware. I could hear you thinking from Henry's lab," Nikola joked. Helen laughed, only slightly, and Nikola suddenly took on a more serious tone. "I came to see how you were doing." It was a nice and rare gesture coming from Nikola, Helen thought. In any other circumstances Helen would have rolled her eyes and have been annoyed, but today it seemed comforting to know that Nikola was by her side.

"Seems your thoughts are also scattered all over time." Nikola stood up and went to pick up the broach that Helen had been holding previously. Her cheeks reddened at the thought of Nikola seeing her observing it. He landed back on the couch, a little closer to Helen then he had been the last time.

"I suppose I never realized how true my words were that night." Nikola smiled to himself, and closed his eyes for just a moment. Helen wasn't quite sure what to do during the peaceful silence that enveloped them. She simple watched Nikola's features, and noticed how they were much more strained then they had once been. His voice broke the silence.

"I'll figure it out, you know. I'll figure out what you have planned. I always do," he said with determination.

"As I do with you," Helen remarked, keeping the conversation light. She knew it was killing Nikola not to know what she had planned.

"Yes, you've always seemed to ruin my plans for world domination," Nikola said with a wink.

Silence fell upon them once more. Nikola couldn't help but be worried by Helen's odd behaviour. She'd always been cryptic, but her demeanour was immensely unusual. She seemed inwardly worried and insanely preoccupied, yet she walked and talked with more confidence, determination and grace than he had ever known her to have. It was evident that she was tiered, yet her step was lighter, somehow. A little bit like it had been at Oxford, as if she had rid herself of past resentment and burdens. Even as he sat quite near her, he couldn't detect any resistance like he usually did. That invisible wall that shot back sarcastic remarks or huffs and puffs anytime he would flirt with her or get too close no longer seemed to surround her. She was content having him there, comforted even. Whatever she had in the works, he could tell things were going to change drastically. Whatever could bring Helen to the brink of peace was surely life-altering. "_Or life ending,"_ Nikola's feared expressed. Pushing that thought aside, Nikola stood up in one swift movement and walked over to Helen's old (ancient) record player. But before he did so, he gently leaned over and placed the broach on Helen's collar.

"Nikola, what are you doing?" Helen asked with genuine curiosity.

"If you're not going to tell me, then I'm going to have to force it out of you!"

Helen's face grimaced with confusion. "Force what out? I told you I'm not hiding anything, I have no idea what you're talking about."

Nikola picked up a record, and set it up so that a soft melody started flowing within the room. Helen recognized it right away.

"Helen, you were never good at lying," Nikola remarked.

Helen sighed, knowing that he would never by it. She therefore decided to humour him.

"Fine. But I highly doubt you could get anything out of me," she said almost flirtatiously. Almost, but not quite.

"Helen, you wound me. Don't you know by now that my charm can get me anything I want?"

"Oh, is that so? Well let me tell you something. If you, for one min-," Nikola, using his vampire speed, caught her arms and pulled her to him. Before she was able to steady herself, Nikola started leading her into a waltz. She nearly brought both of them to the ground, but they somehow started dancing to the soft waves of the music. Helen took a few moments to recover from the shock, but she found her body automatically taking Nikola's lead. Those years in old England had turned dancing into a natural habit. Once she recovered, she looked up at Nikola's mischievous face and started giggling. She wasn't used to hearing herself giggle. Perhaps, that too, was an old habit she had acquired in her Oxford days when she would dance with men. Or more specifically, Nikola. Neither one of them talked after that. They simple danced to the soothing music. Helen had forgotten what a good dancer Nikola was. He expertly led the way as they swayed in stepped in perfect unison. She noticed heat radiating from his forearm where her hand lay, which was something she wasn't accustom to feel from her friend. Since his transformation, his body temperature rarely augmented. Leaning in a little closer, Helen hummed as the music continued to play. Nikola's scent was swirling around her as they span around the room, and his smile seemed to penetrate her being. She enjoyed the feeling is his hand in hers, and that of his hand nestled around her waist. For a moment, she was able to forget about everything occupying her mind and enjoy a moment of what she would call serenity. Her mind flooded with images of her years at Oxford and the moments of laughter she shared with the man holding her.

All too soon, the waltz ended, but it easily morphed into a slow song. Helen stayed where she was and stepped even closer to Nikola so that her head was able to rest in the crook of his neck. They swayed side to side and Nikola gently rubbed the inside of her hand. Helen suddenly felt tremors coming from Nikola's chest and heard the sound of a soft chuckle. Realising how much she had lost herself in the dance, she lifted her head gave Nikola a shy smile.

"What's so funny?" Helen asked.

Nikola signaled for Helen to put her head back where it was, and he opted for whispering in her ear. "I was just thinking of the scandalous things we did back in England. We were quite a pair, weren't we?"

Helen shivered slightly. "I suppose so. What specific event were you recollecting this time, Mr. Tesla?" It was Nikola's turn to shiver as Helen whispered her words just under his ear. _Payback_, Helen thought.

Nikola looked down at her, his grin even wider than the last time. "Do you remember that winter night we got so caught up in our studies that we forgot that the library actually closed during the night?"

"Oh my, how could I forget? Getting stuck in the library was my worst fear. I swear one minute it was 3 in the afternoon, and the next it was midnight and the lights went out!" Helen laughed.

"And then we ran to the doors and everything had been locked up," Nikola continued, laughing as much as Helen.

"So we spent the whole night huddled up and when my father finally noticed my absence, he demanded access into the library to look for me."

"I will never, ever forget the look on his face when he barged through the doors and spotted us together! I don't think he let me near you for a month!" Nikola added.

"I was devastated!"

"I suppose that's what happens when you find the most remote place in the library, out of everyone's eyesight and lose track of time," Nikola said suggestively.

"Nikola! You know we only ever studied."

"Yeah, and I remember you trying to tell that to everyone after that mishap. They never believed it, you know. I was obviously too attractive for you NOT to make a pass at me."

Helen snorted and snuggled back against Nikola as they continued to dance to the music. "It's still not as bad as the time you threw rocks at my window at 1 in the morning because you felt guilty for having missed a lunch with me the previous day."

"You're being nice, Helen. I blew you off for some experiment I was working on and I hadn't seen you in over 2 months because you left on a trip with your father to god knows where. I had the right to make it up to you. I am a true gentleman," Nikola said defensively.

Helen rolled her eyes. "You had to make it up to me in the middle of the night with a flash light and a pick-nick basket?"

"Of course! The flash light was so that we could see in the dark and I packed a very nice lunch, thank you. In fact, if I recall, you happily sneaked out of your house and we made our way to the very garden where I gave you that broach a few years later," He said passing his fingers over the small object.

Helen smiled against him, and silence fell upon them as they danced to the last song on the record. Nikola realised that his whole plan had failed, because once again, Helen had distracted him. He was no closer to finding out what she was planning then he had been at the beginning of the evening.

Helen, on the other hand, was about to reveal something that would give Nikola a much better view of the future she had planned.

**Please review! I did a little research to find out if the library would have been lit with electricity, and I believe it is plausible. Electricity was starting to become a trend in the late 1800's and was apparently reserved for public places and wealthy communities. I might be wrong but I'm a skilled scientist, and a not so skilled historian :P Anyway, let me know what you think! **


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